New Lee Enfield parts

[Gard]

The more I look at these beautiful old rifles the more it becomes clear that many of them are beginning to get long in the tooth. Considering the fact that some of them have changed hands a dozen times in their lives and fired thousands of rounds their service life isn't infinite. We're talking worn barrels and excessive headspace here people.

There are literally millions of these rifles all over the world. Couldn't someone theoretically make a business out of just manufacturing new replacement parts especially new wood, barrels and boltheads in order to keep these beauties alive and where they belong: on the range?

Now that would be doing Gods work. Any thoughts?

 

[stencollector]

There is still a fair bit of surplus NOS parts available. Add to that the fact that the guys with Enfields expect the parts to be reasonable priced. So the market becomes limited. I can think of nothing on an Enfield that could be produced at todays prices and the guys would be happy with.

Diemaco (now Colt Canada) is/was stamping out some new parts for the Enfields, but it is hard to say what their price structure is like sonce they don't have civilian sales.

If you check on ebay, there is still lots of NOS parts available for cheaper than they can be made for.

Exceptions to the above are some of the unique sniper accessories, like the wood cheekpiece (copies sell for $50). Also, if someone would get around to stamping out reproduction scope cases (originals now sell for around $600) there could be a fair markup for something that could likely be made for $15 each.

But when you consider that a good barrel blank will run $200+ these days, by the time the machine work is done, barrels would run you $400 easy. Very few guys are going to pay $400 for a barrel to put on a $200 rifle.

Some guys were hoping AIA would sell their wood for installation on the milsurps. I would be very surprised to see it happen. It would only lessen their sales of rifles. Besides, you can still find NOS woodsets for under $75. I can't imagine anyone could produce new ones for less than that.

 

[sunray]

The cost of setting up would be prohibitive.

 

[tiriaq]

To give you an idea of what it would cost to set up to make new parts.... One of the more difficult Ross parts to obtain for a restoration of a Mk. III service rifle is the nosecap. A chap I know investigated having repros of the second, forged steel pattern made by CNC. $5000 preliminary setup fee including writing code, $60 apiece for the parts, if ordered in the hundreds.
There probably would be strong demand for extra length SMLE and No. 4 boltheads, at, say $50 each. Could these be manufactured to retail for that?

 

[louthepou]

Gard, there were millions of Enfield made, and indeed there are millions all over the world. But a lot are inaccessible or getting destroyed. Still, lots, lots of parts are still around, with a small planet like ours now, it's easier to get them.

Lots of Enfields were FTR'ed after WW2, and those haven't seen 1000's of rounds; more like dozens maybe; I just solt a 53 FTR'ed which's bore looked very, very, very good.

I think stencollector's AIA advice is the best one for those looking for a new Enfield... (I'm starting, God forbid, to consider that idea!!!)

Compulsive-Lou